Another home game, another strong second half. In front of a large Homecoming crowd, #16 St. Ambrose used a dominating second half to defeat #18 St. Francis, Ill. 34-16 Saturday afternoon at Brady Street Stadium.

Will Ducey threw for 354 yards and three scores and Kyle Korth and Michael Hayward combined for 18 catches and 319 yards and two touchdowns as the Bees won their 17 straight Mid-States Football Association Midwest League game.

After giving up more than 200 yards in the first half, the SAU defense limited the Saints to only 105 total yards after halftime. SAU forced seven turnovers, five in the second half, and came up with five sacks in improving to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in league play.

An unusual first quarter saw SAU's Mike LaRocco score on a 41-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play and USF get on the board when a bad snap on a punt attempt sailed out of the end zone.

St. Francis (4-1, 0-1 MSFA) twice grabbed a lead in the second quarter. Donte Villery scored from a yard out to put the Saints in front 9-7 early in the frame. After Ducey found Korth on a 20-yard scoring toss to put the Bees back on top, John Goolsby hit Ponce Palmer with a 49-yard TD pass for a 16-14 Saints edge.

St. Ambrose took the lead for good late in the second quarter. Ducey found tight end Austin Hochstetler on a 26-yard scoring strike as the Bees led 21-16 at the half.

The second half belonged to the Bees. Scott Langel kicked field goals of 22 and 27 yards in the third quarter to increase the lead to 27-16. Ducey found Hayward, who outran the USF secondary, on a 43-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to end the scoring. Of USF's nine second-half possessions, five ended in turnovers (two fumbles, three interceptions), one ended with a turnover on downs, and three ended with punts.

Ducey completed 24-of-43 passes in the win. Korth hauled in 10 passes for 148 yards while Hayward finished with eight receptions for 171 yards. Mike LaRocco led the Bees' rushing attack with 49 yards on seven carries.

Tyler Boyle led the defense with nine total tackles. Hank Belshause finished with eight tackles, including three tackles-for-loss and two sacks, and forced a fumble. Kris Griswold, Zack Hughes, Colin Green and PJ Conroy each picked off a pass.

Goolsby completed 24-of-44 passes for 307 yards and one touchdown, but was intercepted four times. Jason Fiske caught 10 balls for 73 yards and Palmer added six catches for 158 yards. Javon Steward rushed for 71 yards on 14 attempts. Brenton Valentine finished with a game-high 12 tackles in the loss.

St. Ambrose will visit William Penn next Saturday. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.